After two years in the making, our first book for kids is finished! Thane and I are really excited to share this project because it has been a true labor of love. I’m not entirely sure what we were thinking when we started it (ha!), but let me just say that writing and illustrating a full length picture book is no cup of tea. I can’t even tell you how many times I was sure it would never be done! But, by the grace of God and by hours upon hours of late-night writing, editing, drawing, re-writing, re-drawing, endless formatting, and some serious what-are-we-doing? moments, here it is!

HOW WE GOT STARTED

This all began with our own kids in mind. Our children are ages seven, five, three, and two, and they have so many big and important questions about life and God. “If God is so big, why can’t we see him?”…”why do we need to be saved?”…”what happens when we die?”… “why did Jesus have to die on the cross?”, etc. I’m naturally a visual person, so I was always wanting to sit down and draw out bible concepts for them. It was with that motivation that we set out to produce children’s literature that goes beyond the what and really expounds on the how and why of Bible doctrine. A New Heart is just one book, obviously, but we have lots of ideas and more titles in the works!

WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT

A New Heart is based on Ezekiel 36:26, which reads;

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Our story is told from the perspective of a young boy named Christian Ford who is–as his name suggests–a believer. He is led to his unbelieving Aunt and Uncle’s home to share his faith and explain their need for a new heart. Their hearts are broken and the only way to have them replaced and in working order again is by faith in Jesus Christ, the God of the bible. He leads them through Scripture and shares Bible truth courageously, acknowledging that it’s the Christian’s job to share his faith, but God’s job to lead sinners to repentance and faith.

Here is a peak of the inside;

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

This book is intended for children ages five through nine, roughly. It should be used as a tool for instructing your kids and it should spark engaging dialogue about the nature of the human heart, evangelism, and what it means to need a new heart (or to be re-born), in order to become a disciple of Christ and join the family of God.

GET YOUR OWN COPY

This book is intended for ministry, not money making. But we would be so thrilled if your kids were blessed by it! Again, A New Heart is available for purchase through Barnes & Noble HERE and through Amazon HERE. You can also read a little bit more about it on THANE’S WEBSITE.

For all of you who encouraged us, supported us, and helped us along the way, thank you so much!

This was supposed to be a post about my growing passion for vegetables (yes, the pumpkin pie belongs to the vegetable family as well), but it devolved into a slightly more crass topic; grocery shopping. My least favorite adult chore. The little “G” shaped character that lives on my shoulder, constantly tapping on it to remind me that we’re out of bread again. Who else feels like they live at the grocery store? Continue Reading

Hey friends, this is just a quick photo dump from our recent trip to the Weston Red Barn Farm in Weston, Missouri. If you haven’t gotten into the mood for fall yet, this place will do it! Mums, apples, the quaintest country shop (with apple slushies), scarecrows, hay, the works. And they have the biggest selection of pumpkins and gourds I’ve ever seen, including a blue variety. Yes, blue! There’s a chicken coup, baby cows, and ponies, there is a lot to see. This is my favorite little farm spot, without a doubt. If you live nearby and haven’t visited, it’s worth a trip! There are more details here on their WEBSITE.

I just have to pop in and show off Lilah’s little nursery because it’s taken seven and a half years of parenthood, four kids, and six(ish?) moves to feel like I’ve finally put together one acceptable kids room! Her space is an eclectic mix of old pieces we’ve had for years, bargain finds, and thrifted & handmade treasures. Honestly, there’s nothing fancy or even noteworthy here. But when I found this new woven rug a couple of months ago, it really pulled it all together and made it feel finished. It was a bargain find from Tuesday Morning–I love decorating on the cheap–and it’s definitely the best part of the room because it’s so soft and says “sit down and play on me!”

Actually, there’s really not a single thing here that was expensive! The IKEA SNIGLER CRIB came second hand from the thrift store, the shelves are also from IKEA and Hobby Lobby, the dollhouse is an antique, the dresser is old, old, old and used to be in our master bedroom, the wood crates are from Walmart (bought like six years ago, I don’t even know how they’re still in one piece!), the black banner is handmade out of paper and jute, and that large wicker basket that lives in the corner has a bottom that’s about to fall out (don’t tell). In other words, it’s basically all junk! But it’s a very happy, colorful collection of junk and it makes for a very friendly little girls’ room.

We’re a week into October and the leaves are just beginning to turn and fall. The mornings are cool, the sun is setting early, and we’re burning through a lot of candles. Be cozy and enjoy this wonderful autumn month!

Ours was fabulous! Except if I had to be more specific, the best words to describe are probably, um….long, dry, hot, messy, chaotic, and boring. You’d think that boredom and chaos would cancel each other out, but they don’t. Haha, sigh! The plain truth is that 1) Thane started a new job and was traveling quite a bit 2) there was no fun-filled family vacation to the beach + suburban dry-rot was at an all time high 3) there just wasn’t much we could get out and do between the crazy heat and the hectic nature of having all four kids home. In other words, it was a just-get-through-the-day, every day, kind of summer.